Nursing Fashion Guide

sources are listed at the end of this post

Yesterday, I posted my guide to Maternity Style. Today I’m back with my guide for staying cute while nursing. You may return to your pre-pregnancy size (or not), but breastfeeding rules out a lot of your old clothes. I nursed for over a year the first time and I’m about to start again with baby number two, so it was fun for me to pull this together. And just like last time, please let me know if you have any questions or tips of your own in the comments!

Tops

You have two choices: pull your shirt down/to the side, or lift your shirt up. You may find that you’re more comfortable with one option vs. the other. If your shirt tucks in, it needs to unbutton or pull aside. If there’s no easy access from the top, it needs to be easy to pull up.

I like to pull my shirt down or to the side, and if I feel exposed I just put a burp cloth over the bare shoulder. If you prefer to lift your shirt up, you can wear a nursing tank underneath or a belly band if you’re worried about showing your stomach.

Other than nursing tanks (which I love), I avoid shirts that are specifically designated as nursing tops. They never look like anything I’d wear normally, and there are plenty of options in regular shirts that will work just fine.

Cardigans and nursing tanks are BFFs.

I never wore button down dress/oxford shirts, but if you’re a fan they are obviously very breastfeeding-friendly.

Henleys and other knit tees with buttons that go at least partially down the front are great. They’re easy to throw on, they’re comfy, and they’re easy to care for.

And speaking of ease of care, you’ll probably want to avoid tops that need to be dry cleaned for a while. At least until after your baby is past the spit-up stage.

Bottoms

Easy! Wear your maternity pants and skirts until you can finally fit into normal clothing again.

You may not fit into your pre-pregnancy pants for quite some time (and some people never do). Don’t beat yourself up about it, but don’t wear maternity bottoms forever. Eventually you may want to buy yourself some new pants in whatever size you are now. Clothes that fit and look good on you will make you feel better, instead of feeling like a schlump in your elastic pants.

I love pencil skirts, but it was a long time before I could wear them again without looking pregnant. A-line skirts are more universally flattering.

Dresses

Wrap dresses and shirtdresses are phenomenal for nursing. Other than that, your options are pretty limited here. Look for dresses with straps that you can slip down, and then try them on (some will work). Sometimes you can find one with a drawstring or loose peasant top, but that depends on whether they’re in style or not at the time.

Unmentionables

Bravado also makes an excellent nursing tank. Most nursing tanks just have a shelf bra, but theirs is built like a supportive bra.

Accessories

A nursing reminder of some sort is a good idea. Sometimes you can tell/remember which side you last nursed on, but sometimes you cannot. You can switch a ring or a bracelet (like a bangle — nothing with a clasp that’s too difficult to undo) over to each side as a visual reminder. Clip a barrette onto your bra strap if you want something that won’t show.

Once your baby can grab, you may want to skip the dangling earrings. A necklace can be a good or bad thing. Some people find that it’s helpful to have something to hold baby’s attention (as long as the necklace is sturdy enough to take it), but I find they usually just get in the way. If you like statement jewelry, bracelets may be the way to go for a while. You can wear a pin too, as long as there are no sharp edges.

You will be watching the clock a lot at first, especially if you’re a new or nervous mother. Get yourself a pretty watch.

You need a diaper bag, but it doesn’t have to be one that was specifically marketed as such. Any large purse or tote will work, and it’s nice if there are several pockets or compartments inside. You can even slip a little changing kit in any bag that’s roomy enough, or carry it on its own if you’re not much of a purse person. There are also plenty of stylish diaper bags out there these days too though, so don’t rule them out completely.

74 Comments

Hi Nicole, When I was pregnant with my daughter those lance armstrong livestrong rubber bracelets were out, remember those? I wore that as a breast feeding reminder because I’m clumsy and I was scared I would hurt my baby if I wore anything else, also, the stretchiness made it fast to switch. I had mini-alarm clocks in every room of the house.

You are soooo right about not buying specific nursing clothes, once you get the hang of it, pretty much any top can work.

Also, I loved my nursing pillow because it gave me really good support (c-section). How do you feel about nursing canopies? I loved mine.

Dimara

February 8, 2011 at 8:58 am

I’ve seen recently a brand called Boob Design http://www.boobdesign.com/ it’s a Swedish brand that makes adorable T-shirts, tank tops, dresses, and even hoodie sweatshirts with a subtle fold-over flap that you just lift up a little when you want to breastfeed.

kq

February 8, 2011 at 9:02 am

i would recommend getting a cheaper comfy nursing bra for the first few weeks specifically for the nipple cream. I went braless for the first few weeks at home because I had only bought 1 nursing bra which was very uncomfortable. It had padding and would’t collapse completed under my breast. Anway, braless + nipple cream= ruined tshirts with grease stains on the boobs. It would have been better to have a cheap comfy nursing bra that could get ruined by nipple cream and then chucked out when I didn’t need the cream anymore.

Alissa

February 8, 2011 at 9:25 am

I love Boob Design! It’s pricey, but the quality is great, and the flap design is fantastic. I treated myself to a few tops and they were absolutely worth it. They were especially great for days when I knew I’d be doing a lot of nursing in public – I felt cute and covered!

I also found that some Gap polo shirts with the extra-deep placket were great for nursing, since they unbuttoned low enough. As for pads, I’m a big fan of Lanacare wool pads, since they’re really comfortable and don’t need to be washed that often.

Great post – nursing makes you look at clothes in a whole different way!

I have the Studio Tote and it is a GREAT diaper bag. I love that it looks more like a purse and I have gotten many compliments on it.

My daughter just turned one and the bag has held up great. It has lots of pockets to store everything I need and even built in straps to hook onto the stroller. I would highly recommend this bag. (and, no, I don’t work for them or anything. I just really love it.)

Thanks so much for posting this!! I just had my first baby two and a half weeks ago and I feel like all I do is nurse! It’s great to see some fun options to still feel cute. Have you (or anyone) tried those nursing tanks with the cutout at the top where the bra is? I’m a little weary of them but thinking of trying one.

Congrats on your newborn! The first few months are the trickiest and the leakiest it seems. When you’re at home stuff a burp cloth across your chest under your tank to lower the number of leak-induced wardrobe changes. I They cut-out style nursing tanks aren’t too goofy; the cutouts sometimes seem to show through the top layer of fabric… elegantly framing my nipples (nice.), and I notice that more on my GlamourMom tanks than the Gillian O’Malley ones. That design feature does provide a tiny bit of extra coverage while nursing, though, so it is kind of a personal preference thing. I’m pretty small chested normally, so I’ve found the shelf bra nursing tanks to not look too saggy, although I think I will try one of the bravado tanks with an actual bra built into it… a little boost never hurt!

colleen, at first it really does feel like all you’re doing is nursing all day! Things will slow down soon.

The cutouts seem a little weird at first, but the reason they’re there is because that design keeps the snap where it needs to be so you can detach and reattach the strap one-handed. You just have to be careful with some of the white ones (as Renee pointed out, they can “elegantly frame your nipples”).

Thank you so much for this post! I needed something like this a year and a half ago when I had my daughter. Since then, I’ve acquired a large collection of scarves- a great (washable) accessory that doubles as a nursing cover, or at least to cover the top of my chest when I pull down my shirt. I also learned that capelets or ponchos are amazing for nursing discreetly in the colder months.
You’re awesome for nursing Eleanor for over a year! Good luck nursing number two :) Thank you again!!!

I swear by Target nursing tanks (but yes, they do just have a shelf bra) and non-maternity long and lean tanks. The genius of the long and lean tanks is that they fit for all nine months of pregnancy and then they work as nursing tanks that you wear your own nursing bra with. They have a lot of stretch and pull down easily.

Target online has some things great for nursing moms that aren’t available in stores: maternity stretch pants that can pass for non-maternity after the baby is born, non-maternity sleep pants that make for very forgiving loungewear, and a wider selection of nursing bras and tanks than in the store.

It’s nice to have a proper nursing top or two for occasions when you want to be really discrete or it’s cold and you don’t want to be bare (I’m guessing, I live in L.A. so it doesn’t really come up here).

Oh, and I like Mod Cloth and I’ve been using their chat customer support to ask if particular items might be something you could wrestle a boob out of and they haven’t yet been wrong or accused me of being a weirdo.

WOW I love it! If I was nursing I would totally follow your recommendations!! These are so cute, I loved your pregnancy featuring, because well we are kinda trying to get pregnant!! I love wearing maternity clothes cause they are excentuate the belly which is so cute!

julie.

February 8, 2011 at 11:45 am

I love that you included a watch! I was always checking mine – I have problems with frequent plugged ducts, and wanted to make sure both sides got equal time.
I lived in the Target nursing tanks too.
I nursed my two babies for over a year each and really missed my old clothes and bras! And my old pants NEVER fit until I finished nursing. I am one of those people who doesn’t lose that last bit of weight until the baby is weaned.

Chrissy R

February 8, 2011 at 12:12 pm

Hey Nicole, thank you so much for this! My sister-in-law is newly pregnant and freaking out that she won’t be able to afford any cute maternity clothes (hormones aren’t helping)and here you are to prove her wrong! Love for the boobies and bellies, good luck on your delivery!

Does anyone have a suggestion for no-show reusable nursing pads? I have not found a single good nursing bra, so I’m living in the nursing tanks as a substitute for bras (a little saggy, but I’m small enough that it isn’t that noticeable). I’ve stopped using my nursing pads (milk diapers, I think) because they look totally lumpy under my shirts, and I did not remember this from the last baby (perhaps a new set of these would solve the problem?).

I don’t know if you get Tommee Tippee stuff where you are, but they were the ones that suited me best. They aren’t reusable, but after the initial massively leaky stage, I found that they would last over 12 hours. They are bigger than most pads, and therefore don’t show as much.

Sarah

Great guide- thanks for all the advice! My first baby is due next week, and ALL of these suggestions are so helpful for a firt-time nursing mom to-be! I love the idea of switching a ring from side to side…ingenious, and yet so easy!

Joy

February 8, 2011 at 3:37 pm

I was a “lift-the-shirt” nurser with both babies so I always wore a tank top under my clothes. I love Target’s nursing tanks for lounging at home, especially in the early weeks but they weren’t enough support for my large chest. Once I found a good nursing bra, I bought some plain black camis from Gap because they were stretchy enough to pull down under my bra. My regular shirt kept everything on top covered & the tank kept my belly covered. I had no desire to show my “Yes, I had two 9 pound babies 15 months apart” stomach! With my next baby, I want to try some of those topless undershirts by Blush.

i nursde my daughter until she was almost 18 months old and she quit one night cold turkey! My favourite combination was a stretch tank top with spaghetti straps and a shelf bra (Old Navy mostly) and then any shirt with some stretch in it. I liked to lift my shirt up to nurse, with the tank underneath you are not exposing anything. Plus you feel better with a little extra stretch fabric over your tummy LOL. With the tank you can wear sweaters, t-shirts really anything. Also, I totally agree on Bravado Bras they really were the best I tried. I still wear one of them as a sports bra and my daughter is almost 4.
And especially in the first months you must have good nursing pads to control leaks. My favourite were the disposable pads from Lansinoh. They were really soft and comfortable, they never leaked and they were individually wrapped so I had them stashed EVERYWHERE! You never know when you will need to switch them out!

sounds like my nursing style. i never bought “nursing tops” b\c i felt like they’d be useless- and now that i’m still nursing 13 months later, i definitely am glad i didn’t. i pretty much lived in nursing tanks- and i’m going to agree with everyone else that the gillian o’malley from target is a great tank- i still wear it. once i lost a little weight i just wore my regular tops.

jbhat

February 8, 2011 at 6:03 pm

Cute board.

I have always found that I always feel more exposed when nursing in a button down than just a top that I can just pull up. And I also find that just a regular bra is fine. I just pull it up over my boob, and the way my baby’s body and head and my shirt all lay make me feel all covered up when she’s nursing, without anything special or nursing-specific clothes involved. I never found a nursing bra I liked, because I felt they were always sort of puckery looking, but I second Sara Jayne’s comment about tanks with shelf bras. I sleep in those, so that I’m not all floppy, and back when my little one was a newborn, I would slip a pad in the bra part to control any leaking in between feedings.

Fabulous! I am with you on the avoidance of “nursing” tops because most are pretty obvious or just not cute. Love that Boden dress, all of the tops, and that Kate Spade ring – they’re going on my spring/summer wish list now for sure! Thanks for pulling this together, it’s really helpful,

Nicole

February 8, 2011 at 6:50 pm

If after 2 months, you feel like the bras you have aren’t fitting well, don’t be afraid to try a different brand of nursing bra. For instance, as a small band but large cup girl, the Bravado bras really never worked for me – the shape was all wrong. But I found that the Anita brand was wonderful. Places like http://www.barenecessities.com/ allow you to order several different brands in several different (and hard to find) sizes. You can return those that don’t work.

Let’s face it, you are going to be less likely to want to nurse through that 1 year mark if your bra sucks.

erin

February 8, 2011 at 10:50 pm

I also love the Target nursing tanks because they are so long and seem to be cut just right for me. I’m not thrilled with the shelf bra but I don’t mind it and I wasn’t hugely busty when I was nursing so it wasn’t a big issue. Also, can I point out Mommy Necklaces (mommynecklaces.com)? I ADORE them. It’s a very small, woman-owned company. Everything is USA made by moms for moms and the necklaces are beautiful, VERY reasonably priced, and baby-safe. :)

pretty clothes for new mamas!..i especially like the jersey dress….i’m a mom of 5…and still nursing the littlest one…i know that when you have little ones its very easy to get into the yoga pant/sweatshirt routine…i do it all the time…but i do have other ‘nicer’ options…and they definately take me to another non-frumpy higher self-esteem place when i make the effort to wear them….your clothing choices here prove that practicality and fashion can work together!..thanks for the fashion board…(the only thing i wouldn’t embrace was the watch…i’ve been watchless for years…was always worried they would catch or poke a nursing baby!…)

I love this list! It’s so important to feel extra dressed up and cute in those post-partum days. I remember getting so down about my figure–and buying a few new things (in slightly bigger sizes) so I could pack away all those maternity clothes really helped! It’s so tough to find good clothes to nurse in, so thanks for this post. I’m sure it helped lots of mamas! I’ll be bookmarking it for next time around.

Marla

February 9, 2011 at 12:17 pm

Congratulations! These outfits are so cute! As you might remember from the first time around the size of your bust will do a lot of changing in the first couple of weeks. Instead of buying “good” nursing bras for the beginning, I just bought some less expensive Playtex nursing bras. I also occasionally used some lanolin on my sore nipples at the very beginning and that stuff left greasy stains on those early bras. Just a helpful reminder!

I won’t lie, I am a little jealous. My baby is about to turn 13 and I miss having a little one. Enjoy it and don’t forget to have some extra patience for Eleanor. She is transitioning into peskier toddler behavior just at the time when you have a very full plate! Best wishes!

I’m currently nursing my almost 6 month old son. I wish I could just sport a nursing tank under my shirts but I need more support (using bravado band anita bras). But I figured out a way to wear almost any of my shirts….get a stretchy tank top (the mossimo target ones work great) and wear it under the shirt. Then you pull up your shirt, pull down the nursing tank and you’re all covered but the boob!

Thanks for the guides, such cute options for pregnancy and nursing (also not a fan of “nursing” tops).

Christine

February 9, 2011 at 1:28 pm

The best nursing bras for me have been Target brand. Not too expensive and they do my c/d cup justice. I almost always wear some kind of tank top or camisole under my top shirt. I don’t have regular nursing tanks so I just use whatever I had pre-pregnancy. This is because I pull my shirt up to nurse and then the tank can hide my belly!

Totally agree with you about not buying purpose made nursing clothes – I bought one t-shirt and wore it once – ended up getting a bit tied in knots! I definitely won’t bother next time. As I’ve got quite a large chest anyway (and obviously got bigger when pregnant and nursing), I felt quite self-conscious in public to begin with, though I got over this after a few months – I think most people do – I kind of felt like, “My baby needs feeding, so I’m going to feed him here, and if you’ve got a problem with it, go somewhere else!” Clotheswise though, I used to always wear 2 layers – a long tank (with a low neckline, under a long top. That way, I could pull down the tank, and pull up the one on top. Hope you’re feeling ok. Oh, and well done on a lovely selection of clothes!

Christina

February 9, 2011 at 5:08 pm

As evidence of my life being verrry different than yours, I thought that heart shaped, sequined clip was a pastie. As in, over the nipple, burlesque pastie (pasty?)!! I thought, wow, cool, that’s the latest thing instead of nipple pads…

Can’t wait to see the new baby! Find some pasties and tell me how they work!! :)

[…] Nursing Fashion Guide Via Making it Lovely Nicole has some great suggestions for nursing wear! My struggle has always been dresses, I love to wear them to work but it’s so hard to find a cute dress with easy access! Love the little floral number she’s got there, that would do! […]

What a great post and wonderful follow-up comments! Having just given birth on Feb 3 to our baby boy, Mikko Giovanni, all this information is quite timely and much appreciated. I am looking forward to doing a little shopping and putting these tips to good use. Thanks and congratulations again on the birth of your son!

Oh, and Molly, I am also a fan of the JJ Cole Swag diaper bag. I received it as a gift from some girl friends at a Baby Tea and it is adorable, just the right size and shape and best of all does not scream ‘I’m a Diaper Bag!!’ when I wear it out and about.

Becky

February 22, 2011 at 9:07 pm

I’m really far behind and playing catchup on your blog now. I’m usually a very avid reader. CONGRATS on August’s arrival!

About nursing (I’m currently nursing Baby #2) wardrobes – I totally agree about saving the money on nursing clothes. I could never find a nursing tank that I liked just right, but I am in love with my Undercover Mamas. Really, it’s a sick love affair. Check them out – undercovermama.com

Love your picks, and as a nursing mom of a (almost) four-month-old, I echo a lot of what you say. I did find several unassuming-looking nursing tops that have become workhorses for me. (one is here: http://www.thefunkymama.com/macuslhe.html)

And I LOVE Glamour Mom nursing tanks. You are right, nursing tanks and cardigans are BFF’s.

Good pick on the shirt dress. I’ve been blogging lately about the difficulty in finding nursing-friendly dresses, and how I miss wearing them. Fortunately I’ve found a couple :)